Touch The Wire Will Finally Race on Turf

In a 17-race career that includes five wins and earnings of more than $236,000, Touch The Wire has never competed on grass.

That will change this afternoon when the 5-year-old Birdonthewire gelding takes on four others in today’s second at Del Mar. The race directly precedes a pick six that has a massive carry-over of $648,442.

Claimed for $62,500 by trainer Jeff Mullins for owner Bob Bone on June 4 at Hollywood Park, Touch The Wire went to the winner’s circle immediately for his new connections. In his first race for Bone and Mullins, the gray won by three-quarters of a length in an optional claimer on the Del Mar main track on July 30.

A Florida-bred who had raced previously for Terry Lanni and Bernie Schiappa and trainer Craig Dollase, Touch The Wire will face Cheiron, Spencer’s Magic, St Averil and Grafton today in the $70,000 optional claimer at one mile. Alex Solis rode Touch The Wire to his last win and he has the call again.

No other member of the field is coming off a victory, but Cheiron did run second behind We All Love Aleyna over the local course on July 25. He is seeking his first win in his sixth start of 2005 for Noctis LLC and Neil Papiano and trainer Kristin Mulhall.

Like Touch The Wire, St Averil will be making his first start on turf. He has won three of 11 for owner Stan Fulton and trainer Rafael Becerra. Garrett Gomez will ride the 4-year-old Saint Ballado colt.

Race of the day: Royal Fudge, a dominant winner of an allowance race in her Saratoga debut on July 29, will aim for a repeat in the $65,000 Union Avenue today. Gary Stevens will again ride the 3-year-old Carson City filly for Alnoff Stable and trainer Roger Horgan in the six furlong race restricted to New York breds. Other contenders include High Peaks, Ihaveadate, Wild Berry and Slew Motion.

One for the road: Abatares moves back to his preferred surface -- dirt -- after a solid try on the grass on July 31 and can win for the fifth time in his life in today’s seventh, a $28,000 optional claimer at one mile, at Calder. The 5-year-old Struggler gelding is owned by Cano Caracol Stable and trained by Pablo Andrade.

Exotically speaking: A pick four using Kissy Kat and Smokette in the fifth, Speed Rouser, Vote and Sunrise Event in the sixth, Gathering Storm in the seventh and Hokulani, Trailer Queen and Exquisite Beauty in the eighth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 1/76. Money: Previous day/meet total: $5.40/$453.20. Total money bet: $498.